Traffic reporter at KENS moving on

Updated 11:15 am, Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Danielle Saar will replace Natalie Tejeda in the mornings on KENS as traffic reporter, come August.

Danielle Saar will replace Natalie Tejeda in the mornings on KENS as traffic reporter, come August.

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Natalie Tejeda

Natalie Tejeda

Photo: Courtesy Of Natalie Tejeda

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Natalie Tejeda

Natalie Tejeda

Photo: Courtesy Of Natalie Tejeda

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Natalie Tejeda

Natalie Tejeda

Photo: Courtesy Of Natalie Tejeda

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Natalie Tejeda and Nicholas Lopez were at the 1st Anniversary of the Farmers Market, May 15, 2010 at the Pearl Brewery.

Natalie Tejeda and Nicholas Lopez were at the 1st Anniversary of the Farmers Market, May 15, 2010 at the Pearl Brewery.

Photo: LELAND A. OUTZ, SPECIAL TO THE EXPRESS-NEWS

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Natalie Tejeda

Natalie Tejeda

Photo: COURTESY PHOTO

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Traffic reporter at KENS moving on

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KENS-TV traffic reporter Natalie Tejeda will be busy making her own travel plans soon.

After three years of waking up at 2:30 a.m. and helping S.A. drivers find the best routes to work, the statuesque morning personality said she's leaving next month for an anchor/reporter job in Birmingham, Ala. At CBS station WIAT-TV, she'll anchor on weekends, do some nightside reporting and presumably enjoy better hours.

Although Birmingham is a slight drop in market size — No. 42 vs. San Antonio's current ranking of 36th — Tejeda said the job represents not only a step up in her career but also a way to be closer to her family.

“They live in Atlanta,” which she said is only 2 1/2 hours from Birmingham.

She said she's sorry to leave KENS, particularly now that executive news director Triston Sanders is, as she put it, bringing some welcome “fresh blood” to the station. But the new job will offer more opportunities for her to grow, she added.

“Natalie has done a wonderful job for KENS 5,” Sanders said. “She has a very bright future ahead of her. I know anchoring is a focus for her, and we'll miss her, but I absolutely applaud her for pursuing her dreams.”

She has worked in Colorado Springs, Tampa, Fla., San Diego, Calif., Los Angeles and Seattle.

“When someone's moved around a bit as she has, you get a reflection of different cultural backgrounds and different perspectives,” Sanders said. “I think she'll be a great addition here.”

OK. But will she stay long enough for people to get to know her?

Saar said that is her plan.

“I have worked in a lot of cities,” she said in a phone chat. “But I'm excited to make San Antonio a place where I can settle down and call home.”

She recalled visiting four years ago for a wedding and falling in love with the city.

“I did the River Walk, went to the Alamo, explored a bit,” she said. “When I came back to audition, it was just as I remembered it, so warm and friendly.”

She said she takes her job as traffic reporter seriously.

“It's a very important part of the morning news,” she said. “People tune in to get weather and traffic; people need to know how to get to work and their kids off to school without any issues.”

A native of Calabasas, Calif., the brown-eyed brunette got her degree in broadcast journalism from San Francisco State University. She dove into TV news right away, gaining eight years of reporting experience, including 31/2 as a traffic reporter.

Saar is single, adores her dog, Scamper, and is eager to form a relationship with S.A. viewers.

“Even when I have to deliver bad news, I try to say it in a way where I'm your friend telling you,” she said. “I always carry my heart on my sleeve; I'm pretty tuned into my emotions. I don't just state the news, I feel it and share it that way.”

Jeanne Jakle's column appears Wednesdays and Sundays in mySA, and she blogs at Jakle's Jacuzzi on mySA.com. Email her at jjakle@express-news.net.